The Support Group
by ilovebeingme17
Summary: Ianto is dead. Now he's awake again in this strange room with strange chairs. People he doesn't know come in and start telling him he's now in a support group. Support group? For what?


**Author's Note: So … I could not tell you where this idea came from, even if my life depended on it. It takes place directly after CoE Day 4 and mentions the first four days of CoE. I obviously own none of these characters, not sure what I would do with them if I did anyway. Not really sure where this is going but I like the idea so I hope you all do too. Enjoy!**

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Ianto lifted his head and took in his surroundings. First, the floor he was laying on, it was most certainly not the one he remembered being on last but if he was moved why was he still on a floor. Second, he looked up finding high ceilings and proportions suggesting a large room.

Staring at the ceiling he finally remembered what had happened to him just before he found himself on this strange floor. Aliens, _the umm 456_, they were trying to steal Earth's children. _Why did they want so many?_ He knew he knew this if only he could remember. The governments of the world were going to comply, take all those children from their families and hand them over to the sick aliens. He and Jack were ... _To get high, that's why they wanted the kids_. Ianto mentally brought his palm to his forehead. ... He and Jack weren't going to let the government be that dumb, they were going to take over and make the aliens leave, with nothing. The next memory hit Ianto like a ton of bricks: it didn't work. The aliens called their bluff and poisoned the building. That's where he was now: he'd died, in Jack's arms, telling him he loved him.

He was about to search for more clues as to where he was but his body had begun to demand he picked himself off the floor. Once on his feet, Ianto took in the ornate room and the chairs set up to form almost a circle.

For a moment, he thought the set up resembled small support group meetings like the AA meetings he'd seen on the telly, except these chairs looked much, much more comfortable. He moved closer to examine them. Wow they might even be recliners. Before he could examine closer, a door on the far side of the room opened. A man walked in and moved toward one of the chairs, not noticing Ianto until he was steps from his destination. For a moment, Ianto's mind seemed to be wracking itself to figure out why he looked vaguely familiar. When he looked up again the man was standing in front of him, hand outstretched. "Anthony Bradshaw"

"Ianto Jones. Uh? Where are we?"

"That's a little complicated. In a way, though, we are a support group." Anthony paused. "What do you remember before waking up here?"

"I think ... Well I'm pretty sure ..." Ianto sighed. "I died. - On the floor of the 13th floor of Thames house. - In Jack's arms."

"Well that makes sense, a lot of sense. Come, have a seat."

"What do you mean it makes sense? Where are we?" The door opened again, interrupting his demanding questions. Lowering his voice he added one more: "What do you mean support group? For what?"

More people taking seats in the chairs interrupted Ianto's questions and Anthony's ability to answer. Ianto looked at all the faces, recognizing some as they sat but he couldn't really put names to them, couldn't have told anyone where he'd seen their faces before either. When one young lady caught his eye and smiled at him, it was clear that she at least knew who he was.

"Ianto! The new chair appeared over here next to me. Come, sit."

He did as requested but remained curious and unsure of his surroundings.

"Umm ... Do I know you?"

"Oh right. You met me when I looked much older than this. It's me, Estelle."

"Estelle? But you're? And I saw you. But we're? What is going on?"

"Shhhh dear. Hold on for just a moment, almost everyone is here, we're about to start."

"Ladies and gentleman we're about to get started" a woman across from Ianto holding a clipboard said, capturing everyone's attention and ending the various conversations occurring around the room. "Thank you. Now we all knew someone else was on their way when we met last and here he is. Estelle, since he was placed by you I assume you are aware of who this is?" She nods. "And before we continue, since we know you're relationship was different than most of ours were you aware this man would have ended up joining us?"

"When I met him, no, but that is because I was unaware of who Jack really was"

"I'm sorry, Jack?" Ianto interrupted leaning toward Estelle. "I'm confused what does Jack have to do with all of this"

"Just a moment dear. I'll explain everything in just a minute. First we, well I, have to get the group up to speed. Won't take but a minute." Estelle placed a hand on Ianto's knee for comfort before continuing to address the rest of the room. "Like I was saying, when I met Ianto here I was unaware that he was romantically involved with my Jack from before. But seeing him here and knowing now that his Jack was my Jack and not his son I am not surprised. It was obvious even when they were trying to hide it. Quite sweet really." When the group smiled and murmured their understanding, she turned he body and her attention to Ianto once again. "Ianto, dear, are you aware that you have died?"

Ianto just stared. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. Then, he tried to nod but he only managed to get the smallest movement out of his body.

At that moment, Anthony spoke up, "He does. Well it's his last memory but since it conflicts with his existence here he's still processing. But he does know he died. In Jack's arms"

Half of the group gasped and all nodded. Ianto just blinked.

"Okay so you know you died." Estelle continued. "This is the afterlife. Outside those doors is heaven."

Ianto's eyes widened in shock. _If heaven's out there why did he show up here? And why were all these people here voluntarily?_

"You are free to go, don't you worry. This room is not some sort of limbo. We are a support group."

Ianto blinked again and finally managed to make his voice work. "Anthony said something about that. Support group for what? I don't get it. What do I need support with? What do you all have in common? And what does Jack have to do with any of it?"

Estelle and the rest of the group just waited, all of them knowing he had to get it all out before they could say anything. When he finished, Estelle took his shaking hands in hers and began to explain.

"We are a support group for Jack's lovers."

Ianto's jaw just dropped. The whole room remained silent while they allowed their newest member process the new information. When the sound of the door echoed through the room, all eyes turned toward the sound.

"Owen! Tosh! What are you doing here?"

Owen had his arm draped across Tosh's shoulders and she was giggling when his voice shocked their eyes upright.

"Ianto!" Tosh exclaimed, throwing Owen's arm off of her and running to her best friend. "Oh Yan. I'm so sorry you're here already. You deserved so much better."

Owen arrived at Tosh's side and replaced his arm around her. "Teaboy" he said with a smile, outstretching his free hand to his old friend.

Ianto shook it but then turned back to the group. "You said this group was for Jack's lovers? These two weren't his lovers. Were you?" He turned back to his friends with sudden uncertainty.

"No, Ianto. We weren't." Toshiko answered, elbowing Owen when he cringed slightly. "But we were very close to him and even though it might not seem like it with so many people here, Jack didn't really let than many people in. That's why we're here."

"Though we tend to skip out on certain topics." Owen added with a snicker.

When the couple crossed into the circle he finally noticed the loveseat a few chairs down from him. Apparently, in death they'd finally beat down all their barriers. _I wonder what happened with Kate_.

"Okay," the woman with the clipboard started again. "With that settled, let's get started."

"Umm where's Suzie?" Tosh asked, obviously holding back another giggle, Owen placing kisses on her neck.

Someone Ianto didn't recognize spoke up. "She'll come eventually I'm sure. You know she hasn't handled any of this well. Especially when she ended up back here again."

Ianto sat back in his chair trying to understand what was going on. He knew Jack had many lovers over the 140 years he had been on earth and many before then. Wait _why aren't there any aliens here?_ Just as the question was asked in his head, his mind supplied the answer: _They don't exist yet._ _Jack has and hasn't slept with them yet and they _definitely_ haven't died yet_. _What was it Jack said? "Wibbly wobbly timey wimey"_

The meeting continued around him. They seemed content to leave him to his wonderings while they went about their process. He was vaguely aware of Anthony retelling his story of Jack rescuing him from an alien parasite and how even though they didn't really see each other after that, Jack was still the best friend he ever had. A woman was sharing about being Jack's wife, explaining the difficulties of aging while he'd remained the same, destined to outlive her. Ianto's mind registered in surprise when he realized that Jack's tales of relationships with Christopher Isherwood, Marcel Proust and Alan Turing were indeed fact not fiction. Then another woman began to speak. She introduced herself as Lucia Moretti and told of working with Jack in Torchwood, many from the group nodded in understanding. Ianto's attention was somehow captured by her story when she spoke of having Jack's daughter but running from him and entering witness protection to keep her daughter safe and away from her father.

"You're Alice's mom?" Ianto couldn't stop himself from interrupting her.

"Yes. I am. He told you about Alice?"

Tosh and Owen turned immediately toward Ianto, curiosity coloring their features.

"Yes. Well sort of. More like he had to. The day before I died we were fighting an alien species that wanted 10 percent of the Earth's children. The government ..." Ianto's voice cracked. He took a deep breath before continuing. "The aliens had come before and demanded 12 kids in exchange for some sort of vaccine or something. Jack and a few others were chosen to hand them over. It was only twelve so they just gave them what they wanted for a cure to combat a new flu that was apparently going to take out a quarter of the Earth's population."

Tosh got up and came to sit on the arm of his chair offering whatever comfort she could while he continued.

"When the 456, that's what the government called them. When they came back, officials that knew about the previous encounter authorized a kill order on those who had handed the kids over the first time. They put a bomb in Jack's stomach without him knowing" The room collectively gasped. "If Gwen hadn't been using the alien technology to discover she was pregnant, the bomb would have killed us all. Anyway, as you all know, I'm sure, Jack can survive anything and this was no exception. Gwen, Rhys and I broke him out. When they learned they no longer had Jack in their custody, they kidnapped Alice and Steven to insure his cooperation. When the government decided to give into the 456's demands, Jack had to tell us because we weren't going to cooperate anymore. We all had to put all our cards on the table."

Ianto took a breath. Feeling like he was done with his tale. Toshiko was still offering her comfort but it was obvious the story had touched her. Those were her friends too. When Ianto finally looked up he noticed Lucia had lost all color in her face, panic etched into her features.

"As far as I know, they are safe. When we were making the final plans, the woman in charge of the mission was turned to our side. It sort of happened when I was dying but I'm sure she made sure they were safe. I wouldn't worry; Jack loves Alice and Steven more than anything."

As the words left his mouth another chair appeared out of nowhere, slightly smaller than the others. Everyone panicked, registering the coincidence, when they noticed it was just behind Lucia but like they had done many times before they all got up and moved their circle to include the new chair. Ianto followed everyone's lead but froze when he heard the scream. It sounded so much like the 456 just before they released the toxin. Every person turned to the center of the circle immediately. The screaming stopped almost as suddenly as it had started and the little boy that had made such a powerful noise crumpled to the floor. Everyone was silent, in shock until one person found her voice. Only Lucia moved toward the boy as she screamed equally as powerfully.

"_**STEVEN**_!"

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**A/N: I have a few ideas about possibilities for continuing this but I'm not sure if I should. Maybe write a review and let me know what you thought about this one and if you'd be interested in more?**

**Disclaimer: All mention of actual real life people are only included because Jack mentions them in various episodes.**


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